"virgil!"

virgil whipped around and saw roman, he seemed angry. virgil said nothing as roman walked closer to him. "hey, what is going on with patton?!" he asked, raising his voice slightly. virgil blinked in confusion and roman sighed. "he is in there panicking! and you're just sitting there? it's obviously your fault."

virgil saw a glint of something in roman's eyes. what it was? he couldn't quite put his finger on it. virgil bit his lip, it couldn't have been his fault, right? maybe this was just some cruel joke. it had to be. virgil walked past roman and went into the living room from the patio. sure enough, patton was on the floor, struggling to breathe. tears stained his face and virgil felt a pang of guilt in his chest.

he knew if he caused this he had to get away. it had to have been his fault. he gulped loudly catching logan's attention. "virgil! thank god."

patton looked over and tried to smile. "no.." virgil muttered. "no!" tears filled his vision and he ran deeper into the mind palace. "virgil! wait!"

virgil ignored their calls and ran deeper, slowly falling into a panic attack himself. he kept running until his lungs wouldn't allow it. eventually he collapsed into a crying and wheezing mess.

virgil felt he might die if he doesn't get oxygen in his lungs soon. suddenly he felt familiar arms wrap around him. "shhhh" they purred and virgil felt himself calm down. his vision eventually became clear and felt the mysterious person step back.

he looked up only to see patton, logan, and roman looking at him. no words were shared between them. eventually the three turned around and walked away.

virgil wasn't upset. he understood. patton had a panic attack because of him, he wouldn't talk to him either. groggily, virgil got up and walked to his room

days passed and no one really said anything to virgil. that was a little unusual. although they knew he didn't like to be bothered they always would try to talk to him.

another day passed and now he was treated like he was before he ducked out. was his mistake that bad? he didn't think so. it was just a little mistake. right?

virgil shook his head and walked into the living room to get to the kitchen. that's when it hit. they had a movie night without him. something got stuck in his throat. he tried to breathe but only a small noise of a choked sob came out.

the three turned around and patton immediately got up, "virge.."

"no. i get it." he backed up. "i'm the bad guy, yet again."

"that's not-"

"was i ever one of you? or was it all just some malicious joke." virgil shook his head. "just. leave me alone." virgil turned and ran down the hallway like the other day. but this time, he had a destination.

he heard footsteps behind him but refused to look back. he raced to reach the door he needed. there was noise of him being called but his heartbeat drowned it out. the only thing he could focus on was that door.

after what it feels like hours he stopped in front of a all too familiar door. the three stopped not far after him. "virgil." patton said between breaths. "please-"

virgil knocked on the door ignoring them. "where does that go to?" logan asked, peering at the door. virgil continued to ignore them wait patiently for the door to open. "virgil please-" roman grabbed his arm.

the boy flinched back and fell into the arms of the person who opened the door. "whoa." janus looked down at virgil then back up at the three. "nice to see you all." he sneered at the three.

"virgil.. no!" roman reached back to grab his arm and janus put virgil behind his back protectively. "let him go you slithery snake!"

"ah yes, i totally will." janus stared at the group. "well you better stay here, don't want you getting hurt."

roman reached for his sword and another voice tutted, "ah brother, i suggest you don't try this in our territory." remus smirked. "now on you all go. if virgil came here, you all truly fucked up."

virgil was in the room now, not listening to what the two traits talked like to the main three. "it was all a misunderstanding. give us virgil back."

"of course." deceit sneered, closing the door in their faces. the two traits turned back and walked over to virgil. "what's wrong, v?" deceit asked, letting his facade fall.

"i caused patton to have a panic attack so i ran away to fix it and since i calmed down they haven't treated me the same." virgil explained, calming down a little. janus wrapped his arms around virgil.

"you didn't cause it." janus said, "remus scared him, but he couldn't get that out until later." virgil sniffled as janus continued, "none of them calmed you down."

"i had a feeling. it was you?" he asked and janus nodded, clearing his throat, "so it uh, probably was my fault-"

"no. you calmed me down, big whoop. they were the ones who chose to ignore me and be petty." virgil spat, subconsciously cuddling closer to janus.

"what do you want to drink, v?" remus asked. "the usual?" he suggested.

virgil smiled, he hated pretending he didn't like the two, because he really loved the two traits. "sounds amazing."

----------------------

it had been over a week since virgil left and he felt himself slowly falling back into the dark side. he hated that they were called that. dark sides. they all help thomas the same, but of course it couldn't be that simple.

thomas would have random spikes of anxiety because of this, and random spikes of carelessness. but it wasn't virgil's fault. thomas just has to get used to virgil going back. the purple in his outfit became more and more dull, as well as his patch was distorted.

"hey virge, wanna have a scary movie marathon?" janus asked from outside his temporary room. virgil smiled to himself and shouted out a yes, telling janus he would be there soon.

virgil got up and stretched. he was sat there for a few hours, since he skipped dinner, and his body was getting used to moving. he walked out into the living room and plopped into janus's arms. remus came out with a bowl of ice cream for each of them.

"so what's first on the agenda?" virgil asked, playing with the spoon.

"the classics, obviously." remus exclaimed, making virgil laugh. virgil didn't want to think about having to go back to the main traits, hopefully he would never have to.

the three got comfy as the movie started. it was only a few minutes in when virgil felt himself being called, and a part of him wanted to ignore it but worry built in his chest of thomas.

"i'll be right back." virgil groaned, "thomas is summoning me." the other two pouted but let virgil go.

virgil appeared on his spot on the stairs silently, waiting for thomas to say something to him. "whoa! um.." thomas gulped looking at virgil. "i.."

"what happened to your pretty purple?" patton asked, frowning. "and your patch!"

"what do you want thomas?" virgil asked, ignoring patton's question.

"i uh, just wanted to know if you're okay? i've been getting random spikes of anxiety and that's not really normal." thomas explained, trying not to look at how different he looked. "and like patton said, your appearance."

"i'm fine. your body is just getting used to some changes, it should be over soon." virgil explained. "now may i go?"

"what about your appearance? why is everything so dark." virgil took a sharp breath in, trying to not roll his eyes.

"i believe it may be from him being with the dark sides again." logan spoke up.

roman looked mad, "my damn brother-!"

virgil shook his head. "we all help thomas the same! without us 'dark sides' thomas wouldn't be the same." he said angrily. "he needs all of us. stop calling us dark sides. were just sides. not dark." and with that virgil went back down with janus and remus.

the main traits and thomas stood their speechless. there was heavy tension in the air, and instead of even attempting to clear it they just ignored each other and went their separate ways.